“Perhaps you mean⁠—my brother⁠—you mean Mrs. ⁠— Mrs. Robert Ferrars.”

“ Mrs. Robert Ferrars!” was repeated by Marianne and her mother in an accent of the utmost amazement; and though Elinor could not speak, even her eyes were fixed on him with the same impatient wonder. He rose from his seat, and walked to the window, apparently from not knowing what to do; took up a pair of scissors that lay there, and while spoiling both them and their sheath by cutting the latter to pieces as he spoke, said, in a hurried voice⁠—

“Perhaps you do not know: you may not have heard that my brother is lately married to⁠—to the youngest⁠—to Miss Lucy Steele.”